Author: DW

Florence sits at the kitchen table. Her husband is there, her daughter, too. They laugh together, share a meal — just as they used to. But there is one difference: both her husband and daughter have been dead for years. “As if we have never been separated,” she says. Florence has never experienced dreams with such intensity before. She feels no fear — instead, a deep sense of calm, a certainty that she will see her loved ones again. Five days later, Florence dies. This was no ordinary dream, but an encounter. Many people have reported similar experiences in the final days of their…

Doping in sports is nothing new. Athletes at the Enhanced Games will know the risks — severe injury, even paralysis. But bioethicists are also concerned we’re opening the gates to altering our fundamental human biology.

In Germany, spring is dotted with public holidays with their origins in Christian tradition: Good Friday and Easter, which celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; Ascension, commemorating the Christ’s ascent into heaven; and Pentecost, considered the birthday of the Christian Church. Also known as Whitsun or Trinity Sunday by some religious traditions, it marks when the Holy Spirit is believed to have descended upon the Apostles of Jesus, Mary and other followers of Christ, 50 days after Easter — hence the name, which comes from a Hellenistic Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” Though the holiday is important for Christians, it has its…

German lawmakers in the Bundestag on Thursday voted in favor of a proposal to cut aviation tax, raising hopes the move could make flying slightly cheaper in the country. If it’s approved by the upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, the tax will be lowered from July 1 to the level it was at before the last increase in May 2024. Depending on the length of the flight, the tax will drop between €2.50 and €11.40 ($2.90 to $13.25) per flight. The measure is expected to reduce federal tax revenues by approximately €350 million per year. “We are, of course, grateful for this…

A US doctor infected with the Ebola virus is being treated in a high-level isolation unit at Berlin’s Charite university hospital. The patient contracted the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. US authorities had asked Germany for assistance due to the shorter flight distance to Europe compared with the United States. Several family members were also flown to Germany and are considered close contacts, in terms of the infection, according to the German Health Ministry. “A patient suffering from Ebola disease can be in a precarious condition. And on an evacuation airplane your means are limited. So, you want to have…

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann announced his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada on Thursday. With most of the surprises reported by local news in the days before the official announcement, the edge was taken off the squad reveal. Nevertheless, the headline news is the shock return of veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who retired from international football after Euro 2024. The 40-year-old has enjoyed a strong season at Bayern Munich, particularly in the Champions League, but has also battled injuries. He recently signed a new one-year contract despite rumors of impending retirement. Nagelsmann made it clear…

Turning 80 is probably not something Cher places much importance on — after all, conventions and expectations have never mattered much to her. Her fearlessness has made her one of the greatest icons in pop music history. Alongside her unique contralto voice, instantly recognizable to generations of listeners, it is above all her versatility and willingness to try new things that have led artists like Lady Gaga and Beyoncé to cite her as an inspiration. The comeback queen In the past six decades, Cher has had several number-one hits across various US Billboard charts. Only the Rolling Stones have managed to…

US President Donald Trump will hold a swearing‑in ceremony on Friday for the new Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Warsh — an unusual step, since Fed chairs are not normally sworn in at the White House, and presidents usually don’t attend, given that the Fed is meant to be politically independent.  But some, particularly Democrats, question how independent Warsh will be as head of the world’s most powerful central bank. Among them is Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who described Warsh as Trump’s “sock puppet” during his Senate confirmation hearing in April. Stressing that independence requires courage, Warren asked Warsh: “Let’s check…

Hearing aids amplify everything — “indiscriminately” — wrote a group of scientists working on a system that may make brain-controlled hearing aids possible. “Current hearing aids are good at amplifying sounds and voices, but they struggle with the classic ‘cocktail party problem’ — deciding which voice matters to the listener,” said Vishal Choudhari*, lead author on their study published in Nature Neuroscience. It can take a lot of effort to focus your attention on one voice in a crowded room. “Hearing is not only about whether words are understood correctly,” Choudhari told DW. “Two people may both understand [what they’re saying], but one…

What are the Enhanced Games? It’s an event where athletes are permitted to take pharmaceuticals ordinarily banned in sports. Substances must only be approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a much lower bar than traditional sporting anti-doping organizations would employ.  Launched in 2023, organizers promised thousands of athletes competing in five sports. After aborted attempts to start it earlier, and some “exhibition events” featuring what the Enhanced Games call a swimming world record, the first Enhanced Games take place on May 24 in Las Vegas. In the end, it will feature 50 athletes across three sports — swimming,…